Did a kangaroo named Jack kill a Loris man? What the Horry County coroner says

The death of a 52-year-old Loris man found in a kangaroo and wallaby enclosure was accidental, the Horry County Coroner’s Office ruled Thursday.

Eric Slate, whose family operated educational and interactive petting zoo 5 Star Farm, had multiple superficial scratches and a deeper laceration to the brachial artery in his May 2025 death.

However, the coroner’s office was unable to determine how the artery was damaged. Possible causes include falling into the fencing, gate screws, sharp signage or animal claws. It also remains unclear when or how the scratches occurred and whether Slate was standing or lying down.

The coroner’s office also listed Slate’s other medical conditions, including severe heart, advanced kidney and liver disease, extensive lung disease and chronic alcoholism.

What to know about Slate’s death, Jack the kangaroo

Robert Slate, owner of 5 Star Farm in Loris, came home at 10:55 p.m on May 9, 2025, to find his older brother, Eric Slate, dead inside the pen that held the farm’s red kangaroo named Jack.

After Slate’s death, authorities investigated a possible connection with Jack, a red kangaroo that came to the farm a couple of weeks earlier. Jack was one of three kangaroos and a wallaby in the pen where Slate was found.

Robert Slate said his brother would often go into the enclosure to feed the 4-year-old animal, give it treats, and interact with the kangaroo. But, Slate denied rumors that his brother would ever “rough house” with the marsupial.

After Eric Slate’s death, Jack was quarantined for 45 days and deemed safe, according to the coroner’s office.

In an interview with The Sun News, Robert Slate said he believed his brother’s health issues may have contributed to his death. He also said Eric Slate had been complaining of not feeling well earlier in the week.

“Ultimately it’s a tragic loss,” Robert Slate told The Sun News last year. He described his brother as an animal lover who had a strong bond with the kangaroos.

This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 3:12 PM.